1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates broadly to an interface connection system, and more particularly to a rapid action engagement interface connection system. Such connection interface equipment requires the frequent placement of interchangeable test adapters (ITA) or wiring modules with multiple minute electrical contacts in operative engagement with opposite co-acting electrical contacts of, for example, receiver modules. It is imperative that the receiver contacts and interchangeable test adapter/wiring contacts engage with precision to minimize wear and to prevent damaging the delicate and expensive equipment.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present invention relates to improvements made upon a prior invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,966,023 which is hereby incorporated by reference, and several other patents commonly assigned to Virginia Panel Corporation. In those prior patents, a rapid action engagement connection interface system was provided which positioned and electrically connected a testing device to a device under test. The testing device exercised and tested the device under test. The rapid action engagement connection interface system in those prior patents included a receiver (or receiver module) electrically connected to the device under test and included at least one receiver electrical connector. The receiver included a receiver main body section accommodating at least one receiver electrical connector. The receiver main body had upper and lower receiver sections and first and second receiver sides.
The receiver also included a pivot tab or receptacle, connected to, or integral with, the lower receiver section of the receiver main body section, first and second fin-shaped guides, connected to, or integral with, the first and second receiver sides, respectively, and a locking latch mechanism disposed on the upper receiver section of the receiver main body section.
The rapid action engagement connection system also included an interchangeable test adapter electrically connected to the device under test, removably couplable to the receiver and including at least one test electrical connector. The interchangeable test adapter included a test main body section accommodating the test electrical connector, and a pivot tab receiver (or pivot receptacle receiver), connected to, or integral with, the lower test section of said test main body section. The interchangeable test adapter included first and second fin-shaped grooves, connected to, or integral with, the first and second test sides, and a locking latch receiver disposed on the upper test section of said test main body section.
When the pivot tab engages the pivot tab receiver, the receiver was pivotally engagable with the interchangeable test adapter. The receiver was pivotally guided into engagement with the interchangeable test adapter utilizing the first and second fin-shaped guides that are introduced into the first and second fin-shaped grooves respectively. The receiver was secured to the interchangeable test adapter utilizing the locking latch mechanism and the locking latch receiver. An example of the device disclosed in the prior patent is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
In another embodiment disclosed in the prior patents, a rapid action engagement interface connection system was provided for positioning and electrically connecting a testing device to a device under test. The testing device exercised and tested the device under test. The rapid action engagement interface connection system included a receiver electrically connected to the device under test and included at least one receiver electrical connector.
The receiver included a receiver main body section accommodating the at least one receiver electrical connector. The receiver main body had upper and lower receiver sections and first and second receiver sides.
The receiver included a pivot tab or receptacle, connected to, or integral with, the lower receiver section of the receiver main body section, first and second guides, connected to, or integral with, the first and second receiver sides, and a locking latch mechanism disposed on the upper receiver section of the receiver main body section. The rapid action engagement interface connection system also included an interchangeable test adapter electrically connected to the device under test, removably couplable to the receiver and included at least one test electrical connector.
The interchangeable test adapter included a test main body section accommodating at least one test electrical connector, and a pivot tab receiver, connected to, or integral with, the lower test section of the test main body section. The interchangeable test adapter included first and second guide receivers, connected to, or integral with, the first and second test sides, and a locking latch receiver disposed on the upper test section of the test main body section.
In another embodiment disclosed in the prior patents, a method of positioning and engaging a test electrical connector with a receiver electrical connector using a rapid action engagement interface connection system was provided. The method included the steps of mounting the test electrical connectors to the interchangeable test adapter, mounting the receiver electrical connectors to the receiver, and engaging a pivot tab of the receiver with a pivot tab or pivot receptacle receiver of the interchangeable test adapter.
The method also included the steps of pivotally guiding and engaging the interchangeable test adapter with the receiver via the pivot tab and the pivot tab receiver, thereby engaging the test electrical connector to the receiver electrical connectors, and locking the interchangeable test adapter with the receiver via a locking mechanism.
Although these devices generally functioned well and provided advantages over prior devices, the devices did not provide users with convenient access to the connectors and wires of a test adapter after the test adapter had been assembled. Such access may be desirable to perform troubling shooting tasks and repairs on the test adapters. One suggested method of obtaining access to assembled test adapters was to cut the test adapters in half along the length of the test adapter and then provide screws to hold the two halves together. This suggested modification of the test adapters suffered from numerous shortcomings, such as weakening the test adapter and failing to provide sufficiently convenient access to the contacts and wires within the assembled adapter.